Stephen Koukoulas has held a range of senior roles through his illustrious career, including as Head of Global Research at TD Securities in London, as the Chief Economist at Citibank, and as Senior Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Today, Stephen is the Managing Director of his own advisory firm Market Economics.

‘Kouk’ is an increasingly familiar face in Aussie lounge rooms thanks to his regular appearances on The Project on Channel Ten, where he explains what the jargon-filled news means for everyday Aussies in his trademark easy-going style.

In 2015, Stephen published the hit book Myth-busting Economics, a practical, easy-to-follow guide to understanding and responding to Australian economic trends.

Using practical and real-world examples, Myth-Busting Economics helped readers to make informed decisions for themselves and for their businesses.

This frank, no-nonsense book provided special insights into the Australian economy in Asia, housing affordability, the impact of an aging population on the economy, and much more.

In the Money for Life workshop, Stephen will tackle the big issues, challenges, and questions facing Australians head on:

• whether to buy or rent your home?

• will interest rates revert to high levels again soon?

• what will happen to wages growth (and what can you do about it?)?

• what and where will the jobs of the future be?

• understand what drives business through the inevita-ble ups and downs

• what are the key economic trends set to impact your personal finances?

At the Money for Life workshop you will get all this and much, much more, from one of Australia’s most prominent leading economists.

STEPHEN KOUKOULASECONOMIST

Melissa Browne is a serial entrepreneur, accountant, financial advisor, author… and shoe addict.

She is the founder of several businesses including The Money Barre (a financial planning business for Gen X and Gen Y), A&TA (Accounting and Taxation Advantage, an award winning accounting and advisory firm) and Thinkers.inq, (a long day preschool that is all about play with purpose.).

As the author of the hugely popular books Fabulous but Broke and More Money for Shoes, Melissa is often described as “not your normal accountant”, and she happily accepts that portrayal. Her latest book, Unf*ck your Finances is more of her down-to-earth, common-sense approach to demystify the world of business and finances.

Melissa is a regular media commentator on business, leadership and finances with her own fortnightly column in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, as well as being featured across a wide range of other television, radio, and print media – from CEO Magazine to Cosmopolitan and from Sky Business to Triple J.

In 2013 Melissa was featured as one of Australia’s most inspiring women in Madison Magazine and in 2016, she was listed as one of the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence.

Her message is for people to design the life they want rather than being unconscious consumers and to become the author of their own financial story. That’s because there are no unicorns, fairy godmothers, prince charmings or magical shoes coming to save you. Which is why we need to financially adult and save ourselves.

Melissa’s personal mission is to help women find their voice and become both business and financially savvy. Or to put it simply, she delights in creating transformational change. Moving people from where they are to somewhere that’s even better than what they imagined. She is driven by her own story and her own experience of resilience to help others understand that it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you’ve been through – you can not only develop financial resilience but also financial wellness.

In the Money for Life workshop, Melissa will explain the awesome power of compound interest, detailing the timeless principles of personal finance and wealth creation you can use to write your own financial fairytale.

MELISSA BROWNEACCOUNTANT, FINANCIAL ADVISOR & ENTREPRENEUR

Melissa is an accountant and Licensed Financial Advisor.

David Novac is a stock market analyst, educator, investor and trader with an international reputation for comprehensive and realistic financial insight and erudite communication of complex market conditions and opportunities.

Honed over 30 years in merchant banking, finance and accounting, his rare industry authority has been a cornerstone of Sky News Business since 2010, as regular co-host of Trading Day Live and expert panelist on Your Money, Your Call.

In an often jargon-heavy industry, David’s plain-speaking style and passion for facts over speculation attracts a weekly audience of 350,000 viewers seeking clear and simple insight into what stocks to invest in and when.

David’s acumen extends from domestic to global markets and from prevailing conditions to key future trends, and his influence has come to be widely respected and often quoted.

David is a respected leader of opinion and a highly sought-after keynote speaker whose recurring engagements include the Australian Investors Association, Australian Shareholders Association, Precious Metals conferences, and Oil & Gas industries.

The crucial principles of risk management, investment timing, and passive income generation are fundamental aspects of David’s vision. As strategist, consultant, educator, and mentor, his fundamental goal is to facilitate stock market understanding and profit for investors and traders alike.

David has previously presented for Anthony Robbins’ ‘Wealth Mastery’ and Robert Kiyosaki’s (best-selling author of ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’) ‘Financial Intelligence’ & ‘Fundamentals of Investing’ Programs.

DAVID NOVACPROFESSIONAL STOCK MARKET TRADER, ANALYST & ADVISOR

David is an authorised representative of a fully licensed stock broking firm and qualifications include Regulatory Guideline 146 Compliant under Financial Services Reform Act (FSRA) and an Accredited Derivatives Advisor, Level 2 (ASX).

Pete Wargent is one of Australia’s leading experts on residential property investment and market trends, and is regularly featured in the mainstream media.

Widely acclaimed as a 4-time published author on personal finance and property, Pete achieved financial freedom at the age of 33 by following the timeless, fundamental principles of building wealth detailed in his books.

His first published book Get a Financial Grip: a simple plan for financial freedom, was written in 2011 and was rated by Money magazine as one of the top 10 finance books of the following year. Pete’s books present a simple plan for investing your way to financial freedom so that you can focus on your life’s passion, which you might then choose to turn into your business.

As the founder of a property buyer’s agency with offices in Sydney, Brisbane, and London, Pete is regularly featured across most mainstream Australian and UK media.

Recognised as one of Australia’s brightest financial minds and financial commentators, Pete is not just a theorist, and has followed the principles laid out in his books to build a substantial and diversified portfolio of assets in shares, property, and business.

Being British by birth, together with his wife Pete accumulated a property portfolio in the UK, including in London, Cambridge, the Home Counties, and elsewhere in England. Since returning to Australia semi-permanently after the Sydney Olympics, he added properties to his portfolio in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, inner west, and at Darling Harbour, as well as later in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Most importantly of all, he follows and lives by the principles of long term investing, and neither Pete nor his wife have ever sold a single property.

Should you rent where you live? Buy your home? Is it still possible to afford to buy the home you want? Should you even invest in or own property at all today? What is ‘negative gearing’, and will it be scrapped?

In the Money for Life workshop, Pete will demystify the Australian property market conundrum, and show you how anyone can achieve their property goals over the long term through adopting a sensible and low-risk approach to property market strategy.

Previously employed as a Director at the ‘Big 4’ accounting firm, Deloitte, Pete is a Chartered Accountant with Fellowship (FCA). Pete has a wide range of other financial qualifications including a Diploma in Financial Planning, and an Advanced Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance. He is also a qualified Property Investment Adviser (PIA) and a fully licensed Real Estate Agent in New South Wales (REINSW) and in Queensland (REIQ).

PETE WARGENTCHARTERED ACCOUNTANT & PROPERTY EXPERT

Chris Bates is known as the guy that puts the “why” in Gen Y.

Chris is a licensed Financial Planner and Mortgage Broker based in Sydney and Melbourne, and is the founder of his own financial planning company Wealthful.

As you will discover during the Money for Life workshop - Chris Bates is not your ordinary Financial Planner or Mortgage Broker.

After working as a financial adviser for almost a decade, and through thousands of client conversations, Chris knew there had to be a better way for Australians to act with meaningful financial advice that made a difference.

He decided to build an actionable and simple system that made a true difference - not just now, but every year to every client.

Chris is passionate about helping his clients to act towards building and living a life fulfilled with what they value.

Chris believes you should maximise what you value in life; your wellbeing and happiness, not just your money, and sees his role as a professional coaching relationship that will help you design your life and, most importantly, act towards it.

The advice Chris gives uses a crossover and mixture of life planning, personal financial advice, mortgage broking, and wealth coaching to help you make better life decisions.

Should you invest in shares, property, or both? What should you do with your superannuation? Should you self-manage your superannuation, or contribute more to this vehicle? How can you save money on a home loan?

In the Money for Life workshop, Chris will help you to address everything from the big life questions (the ”why”) down to the finer details of financial planning. With his unique style of wealth coaching, Chris will aim to help you live a more fulfilling life.

Chris is a licensed Financial Planner and Mortgage Broker.

CHRIS BATESWEALTH COACH & MORTGAGE BROKER